| Food Not Bombs (FNB) is calling for community solidarity after being verbally challenged by two apparent neo-Nazis on September 6 in front of the Calgary Municipal building.
The non-profit group distributes food to the homeless in Olympic Plaza on Wednesdays and Saturdays and according to several volunteers who witnessed the altercation, the men were trying to frighten them. Two men, one with a swastika shaved into his hair, the other wearing a black T-shirt marked with the SS symbol approached volunteers, hurling verbal insults and behaving in a menacing manner.
Volunteers agreed to recount their experience on the condition their last names not be used. Billy, an organizer with the group says one of the men approached him and asked him about his hat. "They asked me if I was a kike. I told them to fuck off. We exchanged some words then they said they were going to go meet some friends somewhere else," he says, adding the men threatened to return later.
"It’s not every day you get threatened by neo-Nazis," adds Jeff, who was spat on by one of the men. He is unsettled by the bravado the men displayed, approaching them in the middle of the day.
"The big problem is that they feel comfortable enough in Calgary they can actually come out in broad daylight with a swastika shaved in the back of their head," he says.
The altercation came days before Mayor Dave Bronconnier signed a landmark document on Sept. 11, joining the UNESCO Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination.
Although they were unnerved by the experience, the group opted not to call law enforcement. "If police send more patrols through here, it’s just going to be more of the people we serve getting harassed so we decided not to involve them unless we feel we’re in imminent danger," he says.
By Saturday, computer printouts reading "Skinheads are not welcome in our community" appeared on light posts throughout downtown.
"We feel the best strategy to deal with these boneheads is to let them know they’re not welcome and hopefully, they’ll move on to a different city," says Billy, adding one altercation isn’t enough to dampen their spirits. "We’ve been serving here in Calgary for ten years and we’re not going to be intimidated by some Nazis.
"They think Food Not Bombs is a communist front. We’ve received threats by e-mail, but this is the first time we’ve been confronted by them in person," he explains, saying it’s unlikely the standoff was a coincidence. FNB makes no secret of its members’ liberal beliefs and volunteer Julian says it is those inclusive ideals that have made them a target.
"We’re a very political organization. We are an anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-homophobic collective and we definitely share those beliefs with people who want to listen," he says, adding one intimidating visit won’t deter them.
"Whether it’s Nazis or bad weather, we’re going to be here every week, no matter what. We try to build relationships with the people we’re sharing food with. We want to break down that mentality of us and them."
With several fresh-faced young women preparing vegetarian burritos and fruit cups behind him, Billy says he isn’t worried. "I’m confident we can keep our people safe. We’re not going to be intimidated," he says. "We have a lot of friends looking out for us and the people we serve look out for us, too."
"Racism and discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated in this city," says district one inspector Bob Ritchie, adding the Calgary police service urges anyone who witnesses harassing behaviour to contact them immediately. |
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